Device for holding hats



Sept. 20, 1938. G. F. JONlTZ DEVICE FOR HOLDING HATS Filed May 9, 19:55 2 Sheets-Sheen. 1

' Georgina F Joflicz I f $3 W l GHQ M11 4 P 1938- 'G. F. JONITZ DEVICE FOR HOLDING HATS Filed May 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jonitz Georgina F.

BAQQQW Patented Sept. 20, 1938 i [UNIT D STATES Georgina F. Jonitz, Quincy, Mass. Application May 9, 1935, Serial No. 20,701

10. Claims.

, This'invention relates to a device for holding hats, and more particularly to a device for preserving the shape of a hat made of flexible or semi-flexible material when the hat isnot in use or is being shipped or delivered.

Previous arrangements for holding hatswhile not in use,'or packages in which hats are disposed While being transported or delivered to the customer, possess a number of defects. The usual hat stand, for example, is composed of an upright'portion having a round or oval top. The hat is placed over this top portion so that the top portion supports the crown. Because. of its own weight, the hat; unless made of rigid material will soon sag and the shape of the crown will become distended. Moreover, the brim which'is unsupported will naturally buckle to some extent and lose its original angleof inclination. Packages in which hats are shipped, while they may provide means for sup Qrting the crown of the hat so that it will retain its proper shape have never been provided with means for preserving the original shape and angle of inclination of the brim. The present invention is designed to obviate these and other disadvantages.

One object of this invention is to provide a device for holding hats either when not in use or when being shipped and which will eifectively support the hat in such a position as to cause all parts of the hat to retain their original shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hat stand or holder which is so constructed as to support both the crown of the hat and the brim, and which is also provided with means for centering the hat on the holder and retaining it in centered position .thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing box for hats with means to keep the brim and crown of the hat in their original shape and in such a manner so as to eliminate the necessity of stufiing the hat with tissue paper or the like.

The invention has for a further object the provision of a stand or holder for hats which may be readily adjusted to accommodate hats of various sizes and shapes and which may have brims which extend from the crown of the hat at various angles of inclination.

These and further objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention as applied to a hat stand, the hat thereon being shown in dotted lines.

PATENT OFFICE Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the device shown in Fig. 1, the outline of the hat being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device partially in section, the parts thereof being shown in separable relation.

Fig. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of the adjustable brim supporting portion taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is aplan view of the adjustable bracket for centering the hat on the stand.

Fig. 6 is a view of the centering bracket taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional vie-w through a hat shipping box showing a modification of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 8 is a side view of a shipping box with the side removed to show how a plurality of hat holding devices may be mounted therein. 7 As shown in Fig. 1, the invention as applied to a hat stand iscomprised of a base portion 2, an upright member 4 secured to the base and threaded at its upper end. Secured on the upper end of the upright near the top thereof by any suitable method such as by soldering is a hollow cup-shaped hemispherical member 6 disposed so that its concave portion faces upwardly. This hemispherical member 6 is most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The base, the upright, and the hemispherical portion'may be made of any suitable material such as wood, Bakelite, hard rubber or the like, although preferably they are made of metal.

The member 4 may be made adjustable as to height. This may be accomplished in any number of ways such as by making the member 4 of two telescoping members 3, 5 and using a set screw 1 or other means for securing them together in any one of a plurality of positions.

Resting on the upper edge of the member 6 is a cone shaped disc member 8. This member is comprised merely of a round piece of cardboard or other relatively stiff but bendable material of suitable diameter. The disc member 8 is provided with a central aperture ID somewhat larger than is necessary to admit the upright 4. A. slit 42 in the form of a straight radii, is cut in the disc from the central aperture ID to the circumference l4.

' This cone shaped disc member serves to. sup port the brim of a hat placed on the device and isformed into a cone by overlapping the portions of the disc on each side of the slit Ill. The inc1ination of the disc member may be changed by varying the degree of overlap. The overlapping portions of the disc may then be held in the desired position by means of a steel spring clamp I6. In addition to this steel spring clamp, a cap I8 having a central aperture therein is placed over the upright 4 and is forced downwardly against the disc member 8 by means of a nut 20. It is obvious that if the angle of inclination of the disc 8 is to be changed, the nut 28 must be loosened and the spring clamp I6 removed. The height of the cap I8 and the nut 20 when assembled should not be such as to strike the inner surface of the crown of the hat. It is obvious that the cap 20 and nut I8 can be made in one piece if desired.

In order to center the hat on the stand, this invention contemplates the use of a bracket which i is generally comprised of two metal strips 22 and 24. The inner end of the metal strip 22 is bent over so as to form a hook 26 which is adapted to engage the edge of the aperture I in the cone shaped disc v8. The outer .end of the strip 24 is provided with an arcuate shaped member of metal or other suitable material 28 which conforms generally to the inner contour of a hat. This arcuate member .28 is bent upwardly as indicated on the drawings and is preferably covered withvelvet or other suitable material .so as to prevent possible injury to the hat which comes in contact therewith. The strip 24 is provided with a member 30 which receives the strip 22 so that the member 24 may be either pulled outwardly or forced inwardly to vary the distance between the .arcuate member 20 and the hook portion 26. The bracket can thus be adjusted to accommodate hats having various head sizes.

Figs. and 6 are enlarged detailed views of the bracket showing the two slidably connected strips 22 and Y2 4 and the upturned arcuate end piece 28 on the strip 24. The two strips 22 and 24 are held in any given position with respect to each other by .means of the friction caused by the member 30 The operation of the device should be apparent from the above. In the first place, the angle of inclination of the disc 8 should conform to the inclination of the brim of the hat in connection with which the device is to beused. This angle of inclination may be adjusted by removing the spring clamp I6 and by loosening the nut 20., and then by varying the amount of overlap of the portions adjacent the slit I2. The spring clamp It should be slipped on over the overlapping portions as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and the nut 20 should then be tightened so that the cap I8 will be forced against the overlapping portions of the disc nearthe central aperture. After the angle of inclination of the disc 8 has been adjusted to conform to the angle of inclination of the brim of the hat, the member 24 of the bracket is forced inwardly or outwardly until a hat placed onthe disc will be centered thereon and the arcuate end portion 28 thereof will serve to retain the hat in centered position on the cone shaped disc since it contacts with the inner edge of the crown opening of the hat. The hat is also prevented from slipping off the holder. Two or more of the brackets may be used if desired. 7

My invention as applied to shipping boxes for hats overcomes a number of disadvantages which have been troublesome to the trade. Fig; 1, for example, shows the invention as applied to an ordinary cardboard shipping box. The box is. indicated by the reference numeral I00. Inserted within the box'a't the base thereof is a circular disc I08 which is somewhat similar to the disc 8 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The disc is provided with a central aperture III], which, however, is much larger than the aperture I0 in the disc 8 and the portions of the disc I02 surrounding the aperture are struck up into tabs I30. The central aperture should be substantially the size of the inside diameter of the hat being shipped. The disc I08 is also provided with a radial slit (not indicated) and the angle. .of inclination of the disc'may be changed by varying the amount of overlap in a manner similar to that used in connection with the disc 8. Any suitable means may be used for retaining the disc in its proper degree of inclination. Ordinary paper clamps, clips or pins I32 may be used for this purpose. Moreover, long pins I33 may be passed through the crown of the hat and through the tabs I30 to prevent the hat from sliding around on the disc. After the disc has been adjusted to support the particular hat being shipped, the disc may be secured to the base of the box I00 to strips of gummed paper or other suitable means.

It has been found that very little tissue paper need be used in this embodiment to prevent a hat from being injured while being transported. The disc serves to support the brim, and since the inclination of the disc corresponds .to the inclination of the brim, the brim of the hat when it reaches the wearer will possess its original shape and firmness. The pins I32, I33 keep the hat in place on the disc as described above.

Fig. 8 shows a shipping box for a number of hats. This box indicated generally by the reference character 200 may be made of heavy cardboard, wood or other suitable material. Secured to the inner wall of the box as at 234 and 236 is a vertically arranged rod 238. This rod is spaced from the side wall of the box and is adapted to support a plurality .of brackets 240. The inner ends of these brackets may be enlarged and these enlarged ends may be provided with apertures which are slidably received by the rod 238. The brackets may thus be adjusted vertically. They may be held in place by any suitable means such as by set screws 242. a

The other ends of the brackets 240 are upturned into a vertical position as indicated by the reference numeral 204. The brackets some distance from the ends thereof have upper hollow hemispherical members 206 mounted thereon similar to those indicated by the reference numeral 6 in Figs. 1 and 2. These upturned portions of the brackets also .are adapted to receive discs 208 similar to those indicated in Figs. 1 to 4 by the reference numeral 8. Caps 218 and nuts 220 similar to the caps and nuts indicated by numerals I8 and 20 respectively in Figs. 1 to 3 are also employed in the same manner as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and as described above. The upturned portions 204 of the brackets 240 may also be made adjustable as to height by making th m of two telescoping pieces held with a set screw in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 3.

The invention as illustrated in Fig. 8 may also employ the use of brackets such as those shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6, which brackets are adjustable and'are for the purpose of keeping the hats centered on the cone shaped discs. In place of such brackets ordinary small clips or pins may be used for the purpose of keeping the hat centered.

The operation. of the invention as applied to shipping boxes of this type should be apparent A from the description given above.

It is manifest that the use of the invention in this connection insures the delivery of the hat to the customer in its identical original shape. Moreover, by providing a plurality of these hat supports on the rod 238, it is possible to space the supports so that hats having crowns of varying heights may be packed soas not to touch or rest upon each other.

The invention in all its embodiments is very effective. The arrangement is simple and may be constructed at a cost which is not prohibitive to awidespread use. It is not intended to limit this invention to the particular forms shown and described or to the particular materials employed except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device for holding hats, a member, an element carried by said member for supporting substantially all portions of the brim of a hat, and means for effecting a change in the angle of inclination of said element, whereby the angle of inclination will correspond to the angles of inclination of the brims of various hats.

2. In a device for holding hats, a member, a substantially flat cone carried by said member for supporting the brim of a hat, and means for effecting a change in the angle of said cone so that its sloping surfaces may be made to conform to the angle of inclination of the brims of various hats, and means secured to said cone for retaining a hat placed on said cone in centered position thereon.

3. In a device for holding hats, a member, a substantially flat cone carried by said member for supporting the brim of a hat placed thereon, said cone having a central aperture and a radial slit extending from said aperture to the periphery of the cone, said cone being formed by overlapping the portions of the disc adjacent the slit, the amount of overlap determining the angle of inclination of the sloping surfaces of said disc, and means for retaining said cone in any one of a plurality of forms so as to conform to the shapes and angles of inclination of various styles of brims.

4. In a hat holder, a support, an upright carried by said support, means carried by said upright for supporting the brim of a hat placed thereon, said means comprising a relatively stiff but bendable disc of substantially circular shape and having a central aperture and a slit extending radially from said aperture to a point on the periphery of said disc, means for releasably securing together portions of the disc adjacent to said slit when the same are overlapped, and adjustable means carried by said disc for keeping a hat placed thereon centered.

5. In a hat stand, a base portion, a vertical upright secured to said base, a substantially horizontal circular member secured to said upright, a relatively stiff but bendable disc of substantially circular shape, said disc having a central aperture for receiving said upright and a slit extending radially from the aperture to a point on the periphery of the disc, said disc being disposed on said upright so as to be supported by said horizontal member, the portions of said disc adjacent said slit being overlapped to impart to said disc a flat cone shape, the degree of overlap of said portions controlling the angle of inclination of the sloping surfaces of said disc, and means for retaining said disc in any predetermined shape of cone.

5. In a hat stand, a base portion, a vertical upright secured to said base, a substantially horizontal circular member secured to said upright, a relatively stiff but bendable disc of substantially circular shape, said disc having a central aperture for receiving said upright and a slit extending radially from the aperture to a point on the periphery of the disc, said disc being disposed on said upright so as to be supported by said horizontal member, the portions of said disc adjacent said slit being overlapped to impart to said disc a flat cone shape, the degree of overlap of said portions controlling the angle of inclination of the sloping surfaces of said disc, and means for retaining said disc in any predetermined shape of cone, said means comprising a flat spring clamp extending inwardly from the circumference of the disc and over the overlapping portions, a cap having a central aperture and slipped over the upright above said disc, and a nut threadedly mounted on the upper end of the upright to force the cap against those overlapping portions of the disc adjacent the central aperture therein.

7. In a device for holding hats, a substantially flat cone for supporting the brim of a hat and means for effecting a change in the angle of said cone so that its sloping surfaces may be made to conform to the angle of inclination of the brims of various hats.

8. In combination with a hat support as defined in claim 7, a substantially T-shaped member secured to said cone and extending along the upper surface thereof for retaining the hat in centered position.

9. In a device for supporting hats, a relatively stiff but bendable disc of substantially circular shape, said disc having a central aperture substantially equal in size and shape to the inner dimensions of the crown of the hat to be placed upon said device, tabs extending upwardly from the edges of said aperture, said disc also having a slit extending radially from said central aperture toa point on the circumference of the disc, the portions of said disc adjacent said slit overlapping each other to form said disc into a flat cone, the degree of overlap governing the degree of inclination of the sloping surfaces so that these sloping surfaces can conform to the degree of inclination of the brim of the hat placed thereon.

10. A device for holding hats, comprising a member for supporting the brim of a hat at substantially all points thereof, means for effecting a change in the angle of inclination of said member whereby said angle may be made to conform to the angles of inclination of the brims of various hats, and means for centrally supporting said member.

GEORGINA F. J ONITZ. 

